The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-12-02
A COLONY OF RUSSIAN FANATICS.
in Whose Homes the Cry of q
Babe Is Never Heard.

| BABE Is Never Heard.
John P. Jackson, IN New York Mail and Express
Ten miles from Yakutsk is one OF the most
remarkable colonies of that most remarkable
sect of religious fanatics who renounce the lows
| OF life; in whose home the cry of babe is never
heard; whose brothers and sisters" do not pro-
vide for descendants in this world. The village
\ is called Marshka, and the community number
| 169 men and 124 women. 1 paid a visit to their
| village. and found IL remarkable for its order
and cleanliness. All around were fields careful
" fenced In with rails, and in the village itself
two windmills. evidence of an industrial farm
ing population not found elsewhere on the Lena
Enter one of these Skopzi homes. in the court
or farm-yard. and you will find that tho greatest
neatness and order prevail, not implement
or a sled that has not been carefully cleaned
and put in its proper place. Enter tho house
and you are at once surprised with tho order
and cleanliness and comfort that prevail. The
Skopzi themselves are as kindly and gentle in
their ways as girls They neither drink intoxi-
eating drinks nor smoke tobacco nor eat meat.
Their voices are not so effeminate Imagined
1 should find; being not much different in tone
from the ordinary run OF Russian peasant youth,
It seemed indeed, as If they had retained the
when they were received into the Sect OF the
women / only caught glimpse of two before
they went out of sight. The sisters, as they
called, did not show themselves in the
houses They seem be as carefully shielded
from the vulgar gaze tho hours of a
Turkish harem. Those that caught sight of
and comely to view. OF children, Of course
none.
From my notes, written at the time, Gull
the following data supplied TO by DR.. Ca
pels, a physician of Yakutsk, who had spent
nearly sll bis life in Governor Tchernaieffs cap
ital Most of the men had joined sect at the
age of nineteen or twenty. Why thus early in
life they renounce the pleasures of the world
the flesh and the devil. DR. Capelo was not able
to say, but he was inclined to think the reason
was frequently from remorse after a debauched
life, and sometimes from tho melancholy pro-
duced by disease abuse.
OF the actual joys of life such a young Rus
sian peasant at twenty knows nothing that is
elevating. His life is spent in atmosphere
that is morally diseased, and he easily euccumbs
to the persuasion of members of the sect 9TH
penitent like himself to undergo mutilatiou.
gentleman told me that his coachman,
who joined the sect about four years
before my visit, gave the following reasons
had lived low and debauched life for some
years. One day, after debaueh lasting longer
than usual, the twain found themselves in
condition resem bling recovery from delirium
tremens. and without kopsck in their pockets
Said the other to the coachman: "Come, let us
give up this life and become Skopzi. Then we
shall know more temptation, and, besides. we
can get some ready money if we join" So they
agreed to turn Skopzi. They made their request
known, and after an interview with the elders
of the community, declared their readiness to
submit the ordeal The women Joined the
sect probably for the Same reason as
the men in some cases; in others from
the inclination to the world and it's griefs,
quickly and forever. Pitiable cases are those of
the younger members of the SECT who have been
initiated into the brotherhood or sisterhood by
their financial parents relatives long before
they could understand anything of the meaning
of the rites which they compelled to
dergo. In each the Russian government
1nterferes. taking away the children, and look
ing out for employment for them. These have
all their rights as Russian citizens given them,
while their parents or relatives are outlawed or
exiled The sect is kept up solely by now con-
verts and has increased in numbers since 1859.
The Skopzi. however. remarkable peo-
they settle they seem be able to wiring
be, as General Tchernaeiff pointed out, that the
reason it is rot to be sought in the virtues of
Skoptzism so much the fact that these
SkoDzi exiles came from a race of peasants in
Russia noted for its industry and agricultural |
skill Certain it Is that thirty years ago Va
kutsk had all its supplies of grain from the
district Vitimsk, thousand miles up the |
river, but few years after their ARRIVAL in 1885,
the Skopzi were enabled TO supply the entire
grain and -four demand of the capital and the
district for miles around.
Before they came--they had been exiled to the |
Yenessei. Turchuask-the country all |
around Yakutsk dreary waste, but these
people wrought a change in few years in the
desert quite as remarkable that effected by
the Mormons around Salt Lake Even SPAR
rows have gathered near their farms and chirup
and hop about the trees and barns, and never
leave their now home. though You will find
any more OF the until you get ]. 500 miles
further to the south